Stranger things have happened

I live on a street that gets the same traffic everyday. It's a little group of houses with one way in and one way out so there doesn't seem to be a lot of unaccounted for passer-by's. Yesterday I was sitting out in the front yard, off leash, all by myself as I usually do. And even though I look like I am in my own world my over protective Mother is typically in the office, a room where she can see me but I can't necessarily see her.

Well, yesterday this pickup truck stopped right after it passed me and a big strapping 40 something male got out and look right at me and then sort of acted like he was checking his tires. The truck was newer and looked to me as if it were at age to be mechanical trouble. My Mother came flying out of the house like her hair was on fire! She saw me, the good dog who hadn't moved an inch, and the white truck (I know the picture is black.) The bed of truck sported 3 in poor shape dog crates and looked messy. Mom took out her phone and walked into the middle of the yard as if she didn't care at all what he thought and took a picture of the vehicle, the man and the plate! He didn't even say anything "how weird" Mom that was. Then he got back into the drivers seat, reeves his perfectly good engine as if to check it out and put it in gear and left... We have never seen this truck before and I hope he doesn't come back. Mom can be scary!

I heard about a famous dog last year that got dog-napped for ransom it was out here in Southern Ca that such a thing did happen! And how often are lose dogs picked up by people who just want to sell a soul to make a buck? This is just a reminder that just because you can be off leash doesn't mean you should be by yourself! Just a reminder of safety and well-being. How many times has someone told you not to go hike alone or not to talk to strangers or... you know the list goes on and on and sometimes humans get complacent or comfortable. The basics are still the basics! Be aware, weirder things have happened.

Emma Zen

My Mother is like Me

My Mom. (That is a sentence in itself but to continue.) My Mom is so.... dog! Yesterday she was talking a mile a minute (LOL I know you are all picturing that one already.) to a neighbor of ours that I go walking with. When in the middle of her sentence she looks over the neighbors shoulders and says "LIZARD" and then goes right back to her story, never skipping a beat!

I barked right out loud!!!!!! BOL

True Story by Emma Zen

I am really not a dog!

I have had maybe ? seven days in my whole life where I had nothing to do. Where my humans where not home or available to meet my every need. Maybe ? seven days in my whole life. One time Mom was in the hospital for 5 days but Dad came home twice a day to see me. And I think once they left me here alone all day I don't remember why. Then there was today... I don't know what was going on but Mom had stuff EVERYWHERE and she looked well... sort of panicked and she stepped over me a few times! OVER ME! ME! What the ? and then she shot out of here like her hair was on fire. Dad didn't come home for three hour! It was a weird day. It was a day where I wasn't the center of every moments attention. It was a day where I was alone. It was the type of day you would experience if you were a ? ... canine!?

Like I said I have maybe ? only had seven days in my whole life where I had nothing to do and all I have to say is, "I am glad I am really not a dog." :-)

Use my name

Using someones name gives them a sense of self.
Using someones name gives recognition and acknowledgement.
Using someones name takes "ownership" out of the equation.
Using someones name gives worth.
Using someones name gives equality to each.

I am not "the" dog. I am Emma Zen!

(Side note: This works with humans too!)

She taught me that too.

I found Mom's new writing table. It wasn't hidden. It's didn't say "don't read". It was just sitting there in the open. So I picked it up and read some. Now I am positive that putting it on the Internet is not my permission to do. However I found it lovely and something maybe the other humans on this site would relate too. So when she gets mad at me, I would appreciate it if someone has my back.... Emma Zen

And she wrote:

Being a woman who was brought up on a horse, I would have never guessed that my Black Beauty would turn out to be a Labrador. But that is exactly how this story goes. By the time I began this tale she was already three years old. She already had a name for herself. A bit of a local celebrity. A Shelter Survivor turn Therapy Dog. A model, a role model, a fundraiser and a most cherished Biker Dog. Her presence spanned the covers of newspapers, calendars, books, magazines, social portals and web address. If you doubt her standings, someday just "Google" Emma Zen.

She is my everything!

From this creature I have learned more than those before her have tried to teach me.

With this dog by my side I have been able to accomplish that which I use to just dream.

For the love of a dog how many can relate? Oh the answers of live that lie between our relationship, I see you.. :-)

This clarity gave me the opportunity to become me. It gave me a reason to concentrate on someone other than myself, and who emerged was... me! :-)

Such a momentous finding to be credited to a dog!

No wonder some societies worship them. I am not saying that I think my Dog is God, however she is the closest to Heaven I have even been to here on Earth. :-)

My life thus far has been grand!! I have had fortune and heavy baggage. I have seen success and tasted failures. I have loved and I have lost. I have stood atop a mountain and laid rock bottom. We all have. I have learned to be and have stopped trying to be. And yes, she taught me that too.

Anyhow building yourself and your life or your standing up is a lot of work, and can leave you with a hole inside that isn't pretty. Standing in the shallow with your hair combed, you can feel pretty good. (I have no idea why I just said that.) But yes, this too she taught me.

Oh I could write a book! (LOL) Giving each chapter of our lives a title and drawing out a picture in words. It would be fabulous. I believe so many would connect.

But why does it need to be our story? why does it need to be about us? Everyone has a story. And yours is just as important to you as mine is to me.

so I decide to stop talking, I decided to listen. She taught me that too. I leave the rest of this notebook empty, giving the next person a place to record your personal novel. So much of the life I have with my dog is documented and the feelings I have I get to acknowledge to myself. I hope you May do the same with the pages that are left.

I am in love with my dog, my everything, my Black Beauty. And that is exactly how my story goes.

Debra Jo Chiapuzio
(Then she drew a tiny picture of me.)

EZN

Emma Zen's Network ?!.

So I heard Oprah is starting her OWN network and there was plug on TV about casting your idea for your "own" show. Well, no one asked me and I, I have an idea. It may not be grand and spectacular. It may or may not be film interesting. But it is the grandest of all ideas! It is an idea that can change your being, an idea that can change your life, ideas that are contaigous and effects the daily well-being of others. An idea that is a do-able action. There's the word, I propose ACTION.

There are NO excuses, no reason for delay, no reason for lack of effort, no reason to not try. I am one of the worlds laziest dogs and I have accomplished so much. If I can do it, so can you!

Oprah has become a peak of this industry, of my idea. She has the means to make a difference on such a grand scale that sometimes I think humans would rather sit and watch then try to do something that would pale in comparison. But collectively we are a much bigger wave.

So for this New Year 2011 I am asking all we know to "Do Something". To "Take Action". You maybe one of those people with influence? More power to you. You may think you have nothing to offer? SMILE! (Those are extremely contaigous!) Let the elderly in your neighborh talk to you for a minute instead of rushing by them. "DO" the smallest action!!! Help. Lend a hand. Be patient. Listen. Sit on someone's lap! People seem to love it when I do that one!

You may be young and think it all about you and that this doesn't apply? Are you kidding? Youth makes up such scale of humanity, you are an ocean! You may know or feel exactly what I am talking about. If so then you know you can make a difference, so just do it. NO EXCUSES, it is so EZ! to do!!

"I would like more average people to know they can make a difference."


Emma Zen

Be there

Sometimes the best thing in life you can do is just be there.

You don't always have to something.

I have heard humans say things like: I didn't know what to do. I couldn't' be of help. I felt useless. They didn't care that I was trying. I wasn't doing any good. Everything I did was wrong. I was just in the way.

Seems humans aren't to comfortable being, well uncomfortable.

As a dog I am often in this positions. Times when you as a human need helping hand or a pat on the back. Or simple direction. Or just a hug. Times when a "it will be okay" would do and guess what I do...? NOTHING.!

I do nothing and I am one of the best comforts a human can have!

So you either figure out how that is or you just accept that it is and do the best thing that you can, which sometimes is nothing!!!

Just be there!

Emma Zen